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G. W. SMITH. MAIL BAG. ,645. Patented Nov. so, 1886.

(No Model.)

No. 353 j Z N PETEHa Plan!n-Liuwgmphm-A washington, D. t:A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. SMITH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO- DANIEL T. HUNT, OF SAME PLACE, AND PHILLIP SMITH, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

MAIL-BAG.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,645, dated November 30.k 1886.

Application tiled August 28, 1886.

To aZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bags; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to receptacles in which a strap or slide provided with locking devices is combined with the flap in such a manner as to lock at several different points along the mouth, thereby securing the ap fast in place.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement hereinafter more fully described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the top of a mail-bag with a portion broken away, exhibiting my improvement. Fig. 2 is a similar view looking on the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection in linexof Fig. 1. Fig.4 is an enlarged vertical cross-section in line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the slide and one of the staples, a portion of the slide being broken away. Figs. 6 and 7 are an elevation and plan view, respectively, of the strap and one of the bearings, showing amodification.

A indicates a mail-bag, which in itself is of ordinary form and construction.

B is the flap, which turns over and covers the mouth of the bag.

Myimprovement is as follows: The said flap B is secured at one edge to the outside of the bag proper, as shown at o, Fig. 4, and extends some distance beyond the bag, suficient for the attachment of the fastening and locking device thereto, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. To the opposite edge of the bag another extension-flap, B, is secured, also outside of the bag, as s-hown in Fig. 4, and the bent-over portion of the iiap B laps down in front of this extensioniiap. Thus there is a space between the interior surfaces of the two flaps equal to both thicknesses of the mouth of the bag, even when they are shut closely together.

C is a slide which rests loosely in a pocket, D, formed on the inside of the permanently- Serial No. 212,041. (No model.)

attached part of the. tiap B, beyond the bag proper, as shown, said slide being varranged so as to have free end movement in the pocket. The slide is preferably made of a leather strap, but may be made of other material. The pocket is formed in any desired way, but usually by riveting a leather strip on the insideof the flap, with llingpicces that give suficient space to the slide. The whole pocket and slide occupy little, it' any, more thickness of space than the two thicknesses of the bag between the two flaps, so that it does not swell the thickness at the mouth of the bag, and the whole construction is very compact. The slide is wholly boxed in at the ends, as well as at the top and bottom.

a a are holes formed in the slide to receive the staples or equivalent bearings, hereinafter described, and b b are tongues or pins attached to the slide and striking into the staples to lock the bag. These tongues are pointed and preferably of wedging form, as shown, and they project into the openings a a, the latter being made of sufficient size to allow the necessary movement of the slide over or around the staples.

c c are the staples, which are secured by rivets or otherwise to the inside of the movable part of the iiap B, and in such position that when the ilap is turned over and closed, as shown in the cross-section, Fig. 4, the said staples will pass through slots d d of the several thicknesses of leather of the flaps and pocket, and will come in line with the several tongues b b, and when the slide is drawn forward said tongues will pass through the staples and lock the flap B in place. Figs. 1 and 3 show the tongues resting in the staples, locking the bag. IVhen the slide is forced back, the tongues free from the staples, and then the flap can be raised to open the bag.

The slide is whollyinclosed, as before stated,

and the tongues b slide through the staples c inside of thc Bap, and are therefore entirely covered.

Figs. 6 and7 show round-headed studs,which may be used in place of the staples, the slide in that case being provided with key-hole slots to slide over the studs. Other equivalent forms may be used.

E is a plate on the outside of the back of the IOC asf

leather, like the other staples.

flap B. It is attached to one of the tongues b, or to the slide itself, by a pivot, f, that passes through aslot, g, in the outside leather. This slot is long enough to allow the proper throw of the slide. The plate turns on the pivot, and it serves as the handle by which the slide is moved forward and back. It also serves as a label or tag holder, being provided with a socket, into which the tag can be slid. This tag is the direction-tag of the bag The front end of the plate is slotted and strikes over` a staple, c2, attached to the flap and passing through a slot of the several thicknesses of The lock h is attached to this staple, which secures the plate and holds the slide locked. One of the staples-that marked c-is made longer than the others, and the plate E is provided with a lhorn, t, at its rear end, so arranged that when the plate is raised the horn will strike into the staple c', locking the rear end of the plate, while the lock h locks the front end. The dottedlines in Fig. 1 show the plate lowered and thrown back to free the slide G from the staples b b.

By inclosing the strap or slide, as before described, it cannot be reached. The slide is not only inclosed, but the ends do not project,

as they are wholly covered by the ends of the bag. The only way of operating the slide is by the handle projecting outside.

The same invention is applicable to trunks, boxes,fand other receptacles having a lid or cover.

Having described my invention,what I claim asfnew, and desire to secure 4by Letters Patent, is

, 1. In a mail-bag, the combination of a fastening-slide inclosed in a pocket in the back side of the bag, or opposite to the movable' l f, and serving as a handle to move the slide by,

locking-staple 02 and lock h, substantially las and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The `combination of the m'ain ap, the

pocket attached to the linside of the flap, thev slide inclosed` in the pocket, the pivoted plate l on the outside of the flap, connected with the slide and forming a handle therefor, the horn upon the said plate, the staple into which the horn enters, and the lock which secures the plate to the flap, substantially as and for the i purpose herein specified.

In witness whereof? I have hereunto signedy my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. GEORGE W. SMITH. Witnesses:

DANIEL T. HUNT, R. F. OsGooD. 

